Over twenty years ago, the American Cinematheque, in association with the Spanish Ministry of Culture, began importing the best and brightest of Spanish cinema to Hollywood with its "Recent Spanish Cinema" film series. The annual festival has exposed countless Angelenos to Spanish culture, from art and music to food, fashion and more. This year's Spanish Oscar submission, LOREAK, was recently screened in our EU Festival, so the series begins with the tense crime drama MARSHLAND, which won 10 Goya Awards, including Best Film, Director, Lead Actor and Cinematography. In HAPPY 140, a lottery prize winner spends some of her millions on a party that has unintended consequences. SHREW'S NEST is a terrifying psychological maze set in 1950s Spain. MAGICAL GIRL centers on a father's efforts to obtain for his terminally ill daughter a dress from her favorite anime series. Likable coming-of-age drama NOTHING IN RETURN was named Best Film at the Málaga Film Festival. Comedies are also well represented: OFF COURSE, about two unemployed university graduates who head to Germany, was one of the most successful films of the year in Spain. Writer-director Leticia Dolera stars as the quirky central character of REQUIREMENTS TO BE A NORMAL PERSON. Inma Cuesta of last year's THREE MANY WEDDINGS returns in relationship comedySIDETRACKED.

Additionally, the winning entry of the New Filmmakers From Spain short film contest, "The Wild, The Child & The Miracle," will screen before the closing-night film. On Friday, October 16, all filmmakers and talent in attendance will participate in a free panel discussion in the Spielberg Theatre.

All films in Spanish with English subtitles unless noted. Series compiled by Gwen Deglise. Program notes by John Hagelston and Margot Gerber.

Thursday, October 8, 2015

Eighty-one countries have submitted official entries for the Foreign-Language Film Oscar race. The only first-time entrant this is Paraguay. Nominations for the 88th Academy Awards will be announced January 14 at the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, and the hardware will be doled out February 29, 2016 at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood.

Eighty-one countries have submitted official entries for the Foreign-Language Film Oscar race. The only first-time entrant this is Paraguay. Nominations for the 88th Academy Awards will be announced January 14 at the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, and the hardware will be doled out February 29, 016 at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood.

Come for: Born in Spanish Harlem to a highly musical family, Eddie Palmieri joined his uncle's orchestra at age 13, playing timbales. "By 15, it was goodbye timbales and back to the piano until this," Palmieri says. "I'm a frustrated percussionist, so I take it out on the piano."

And more: Founder of Irakere and a second-generation jazz pianist, Chucho Valdés has won five Grammys and three Latin Grammys.